Written by

Kevin Johnson
USA Today

The British oil company BP faces fines up to $5 billion and the arrest of some staff members on criminal charges under a deal with U.S. agencies over the Gulf of Mexico well blowout two years ago, according to a source familiar with the case.

A formal announcement of a deal was expected later Thursday.

There have been various media reports on the terms of the settlement. The Associated Press, quoting a person familiar with the deal, as saying two BP staff members would face manslaughter charges over the 2010 blowout that killed 11 people and poured oil into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days. ...